It is known that electro-kinetic techniques can produce air flow, by which electrical power is directly converted into a flow of air without use of mechanically moving parts. These electro-kinetic techniques have been used to design air purifiers. Various embodiments of such air purifying systems have been constructed. One such system is schematically depicted herein in simplified form as FIG. 1. Another example of an air purifier can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,026.
Air purifiers of this type often include a louvered or grilled body that houses an ionizer unit. The ionizer unit can include electrical components which provide the desired power for the air purifier. The air purifiers typically also include electrodes, for example, comprising first and second spaced-apart arrays of conducting electrodes, the first array and second array being coupled, respectively, preferably to the positive and negative output ports of a power source.
The first electrode array typically comprises wire-like electrodes, and the second array typically comprises plate-shaped electrodes. The electrode assembly can comprise various combinations of the first and second arrays of electrodes.
An electric field is generated between the first and second electrode arrays. This field produces an electro-kinetic airflow going from the first array toward the second array, the airflow being rich in preferably a net surplus of negative ions and in ozone. Ambient air, including dust particles and other undesired components, enters the housing through the grill or louver openings, and ionized clean air exits through openings on the downstream side of the housing.
Particulate matter in the air is entrained within the airflow and moves towards the electrodes. Much of the particulate matter is electrostatically attracted to the surface of the second (collector) electrode array, where it remains, thus conditioning the flow of air exiting the system. Also, the high voltage field present between electrode arrays can release ozone into the ambient environment, which may destroy or at least alter whatever is entrained in the airflow, including, for example, bacteria, and can eliminate odors in the output air.
Such ionic air purifiers typically require periodic cleaning of the electrodes in order to dispose of collected particles and restore surface area to collect new particles and, thus, maintain its air purifying ability. This can be done in various ways. Commonly, the electrode assembly is removed and wiped clean. The removal and reinsertion process can damage the electrodes if they are knocked around and/or dropped. U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,026, described briefly above, describes (at least in the claims thereof) cleaning the electrode plates by lifting the electrode plates vertically out through an opening in the top of the housing, cleaning the removed electrode plates, and then inserting the cleaned plates through the opening in the top of the housing. This is accomplished with the housing held in a vertical orientation, with the result being that as the electrode plate assembly is inserted, gravity assists in pulling the electrode plate assembly down into the housing. Unfortunately, if the user lets go of the electrode plate assembly during insertion, the electrode plate assembly can free-fall until it hits bottom, increasing the risk of damage to the electrode plate assembly or the electrical components within the housing.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved purifier with a mechanism for controlling the replacement of the electrode plate assembly upon which dust and other particles collect to minimize the risk of damage to the electrode plate assembly (and the rest of the air purifier) during insertion of the electrode plate assembly. It is to the provision of such an air purifier that the present invention is primarily directed.